Lunch box latch



June 11, 1963 z. A. BABcocK 3,093,262

LUNCH BOX LATCH Filed Feb. 28, 1961 INVENTOR. I ZEBE A. BAacoC AT TO 2HEYS United States Patent 3,093,262 LUNCH BOX LATCH Zebe A. Babcock, RED.3, Cass City, Mich. Filed Feb. 28, 1961, Ser. No. 92,332 3 (Ilaims. (Cl.220--34) This invention relates to a novel tensioned resilient latch forcovered containers, such as lunch boxes.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a more reliableand etficient latch of the kind indicated WhlCh is less subject to beingaccidentally opened, with consequent loss of or damage to the contentsof a covered container.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a latch of thecharacter indicated above which is adapted to be used as the solelatching means for a covered container which has two or more spacedlatch engaging elements on both its cover and its body.

A further object of the invention is a simple and inexpensive latch ofthe character indicated above which can be made of a single length ofspring wire.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following descriptlon and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form ofthe invention is set forth in detail.

'In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a lunch box having a cover hinged on abox body, both provided with spaced latch engaging elements, and showinga latch of the present invention engaged with said elements and inclosed position;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view, similar to FIG- URE 1, showing the latchin open position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation showing details ofthe latch and latch engaging elements as they appear in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section taken onthe line 44 of FIGURE 3; and,

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section taken onthe line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designatelike parts throughout the several views, the numeral generallydesignates a lunch box, having a box body 12 having a front wall 14, anda cover 16 having a front wall 18. Fixed on the cover front wall 18 is apair of longitudinally spaced upturned hooks 2b, which ordinarily areengaged by latch loops (not shown) pivoted on the box body 12.

Pivot brackets 22 and 22 are afiixed to the box body front wall 18,beneath and in vertical alignment with the hooks 20, and are such asordinary latch loops (not shown) are pivoted on. The brackets 22comprise vertical channels having webs 26 and side walls 28, the sidewalls 28 being provided with horizontally aligned pivot holes 30.

In accordance with the present invention, the usual dual latch means,which is ordinarily present in the above described lunch boxconstruction, are replaced with a single latch 32.

The latch 32 is U-shaped and is preferably formed of a single length ofheavy gauge spring wire, and comprises a longitudinally and horizontallyelongated straight pivot leg 34, an arcuate bight portion 36, on one endof the leg 34, and a straight longitudinally and horizontally elongatedresilient detent leg 38. The detent leg 38 extends spacedly along thepivot leg 34, from the bight portion 36, and is spring-tensioned awayfrom the pivot leg, at an acute angle, and both of the legs are longerthan the distance between the outer side walls of the brackets 22.

The pivot leg 34 is engaged endwise through the pivot holes 30 of thebrackets 22 and 22, and is journalled therethrough, with the bightportion 36 located outwardly of the bracket 22' and a lateral detent arm40" located outwardly of the bracket 22. In the released or openposition of the latch 32, shown in FIGURE 2, the latch isgravitationally positioned, with the detent leg 38 disengaged from thecover hooks 20, and in a pendent position.

The latch 3-2 is latched and closed by rotating the latch upwardly fromthe released position, flexing the detent leg 38 downwardly toward thepivot leg 34, so as to tension the leg 38 and engage the same downwardlyin the cover hooks 20, and then engaging the detent hook 42 on the freeend of the detent arm 40 over the detent leg 38 at the free end 44thereof, as shown in FIGURES 1, 3, 4 and 5.

To release the latch 32, the detent leg 38 is manually depressed, at itsfree end 44', so as to disengage the same from the hook 42, whereby thedetent leg 38 being freed, the detent leg 38 springs upwardly out of thecover hooks 2%, so as to free the box cover 16 to be opened.

It is to be observed that, until the detent hook 42 has been disengagedfrom the detent leg 38 of the latch 32, by directed manual effort, thelatch 32 remains securely closed against accidental opening by contactsof external objects therewith, such as the clothing of the carrier ofthe lunch box it). Further, the closing tension exerted by the latch 32on both the box body 12 and the box cover 16, keeps the cover 16 tightlyand fully closed, in contrast to the loosely latched condition whichfrequently obtains where conventional latch means are present and areworn or strained.

Although there have been shown and described herein preferred forms ofthe invention, it is to be understood that the invention is notnecessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in thestructure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof arecontemplated as being Within the scope of the invention as defined bythe claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A container having an open top box body, a cover hinged on said body,said body and said cover having front wall, said cover havinglongitudinally spaced up turned hooks on its front wall, said bodyhaving pivot brackets, on its front wall in vertical alignment with saidhooks, an elongated U-shaped latch, said latch being longer than thedistance between the outer sides of the brackets and the hooks andcomprising a pivot leg extending between and journalled through saidbrackets, a bight portion on one end of said pivot leg, a resilientdetent leg on said bight portion, said detent leg being tensioned awayfrom said pivot leg, said pivot leg having a lateral detent arm thereonterminating in a detent hook, said detent leg being flexed toward saidpivot leg and engaged in the cover hooks, with said detent hook engagedover the detent leg.

2. A container having an open top box body, a cover hinged on said body,said body and said cover having front wall, said cover havinglongitudinally spaced upturned hooks on its front wall, said body havingpivot brackets, on its front wall in vertical alignment with said hooks,an elongated U-shaped latch, said latch being longer than the distancebetween the outer sides of the brackets and the hooks and comprising apivot leg extending between and journalled through said brackets, abight portion on one end of said pivot leg, a resilient detent leg onsaid bight portion, said detent leg being tensioned away from said pivotleg, said pivot leg having a lateral detent arm thereon terminating in adetent hook, said detent leg being flexed toward said pivot leg andengaged in the cover hooks, with said detent hook engaged over thedetent leg, said legs being straight, said 3 bight portion being locatedoutwardly of one pivot bracket, said legs having free ends locatedoutwardly of the other pivot bracket.

3. A container having an open top box body, a cover hinged on said body,said body and said cover having front wall, said cover havinglongitudinally spaced upturned hooks on its front wall, said body havingpivot brackets, on its front wall in vertical alignment with said hooks,an elongated U-shaped latch, said latch being longer than the distancebetween the outer sides of the brackets and the hooks and comprising apivot leg extending between and journalled through said brackets, abight portion on one end of said pivot leg, a resilient detent leg onsaid bight portion, said detent leg being tensioned away from said pivotleg, said pivot leg having a lateral detent arm thereon terminating in adetent hook,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,503,462 Albert Aug. 5, 1924 1,852,729 White Apr. 5, 1932 2,224,161Rice Dec. 10, 1940 2,858,957 Darrah Nov. 4, 1958

1. A CONTAINER HAVING AN OPEN TOP BOX BODY, A COVER HINGED ON SAID BODY,SAID BODY AND SAID COVER HAVING FRONT WALL, SAID COVER HAVINGLONGITUDINALLY SPACED UPTURNED HOOKS ON ITS FRONT WALL, SAID BODY HAVINGPIVOT BRACKETS, ON ITS FRONT WALL IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID HOOKS,AN ELONGATED U-SHAPED LATCH, SAID LATCH BEING LONGER THAN THE DISTANCEBETWEEN THE OUTER SIDES OF THE BRACKETS AND THE HOOKS AND COMPRISING APIVOT LEG EXTENDING BETWEEN AND JOURNALLED THROUGH SAID BRACKETS, ABIGHT PORTION ON ONE END OF SAID PIVOT LEG, A RESILIENT DETENT LEG ONSAID BIGHT PORTION, SAID DETENT LEG BEING TENSIONED AWAY FROM SAID PIVOTLEG, SAID PIVOT LEG HAVING A LATERAL DETENT ARM THEREON TERMINATING IN ADETENT HOOK, SAID DETENT LEG BEING FLEXED TOWARD SAID PIVOT LEG ANDENGAGED IN THE COVER HOOKS, WITH SAID DETENT HOOK ENGAGED OVER THEDETENT LEG.